Teacher Supply Depot seeking donations

Teacher Supply Depot seeking donations

December 24th, 2011by Kevin Hardy in News

TO DONATE

To donate supplies, send an email to teachersupplydepot@hcde.org or call 320-6340. Many household, office and art supplies are needed. For a complete list of the most needed items, visit www.hcptacouncil.org.

The Hamilton County Council of PTAs again is asking for donations for its Teacher Supply Depot, a free stock of school supplies for public school teachers.

The depot relies on corporate and individual donations of office, school and household supplies.

Three or four times a year, PTA volunteers throw open the doors and allow teachers to shop for pencils, notebooks and art supplies.

"Basically, every time the teachers come in, they clean us out," said Scottie Goodman Summerlin, vice president of communications for the Hamilton County Council of PTAs.

PTA members are encouraging businesses and individuals to make donations by Dec. 31 for a last-minute tax write-off. In this time of holiday shopping and giving, officials say, it can be tough to gather school supplies.

"I attribute it to either charity overload or just the stress and time factor of the holiday season," said Jimi Crooks, who organizes the depot. "But we haven't had as many people calling to donate."

Located at the now-closed Mary Ann Garber School at 2225 Roanoke Ave., the depot is open to teachers who are members of any PTA in Hamilton County.

PTA leaders now are bracing for the next depot shopping day in February.

"We've weeded down quite a bit of inventory," Crooks said. "We've kind of gotten to that point where it's trickled off quite a bit and we could definitely use some replenishment."

The depot accepts donations of all sizes, but Crooks said large, corporate donations would go a long way in restocking the shelves.

"Any donation we get is appreciated," he said. "But if we could get large donations, that always go a lot further. The large contributions really allow us to stock up and spread that inventory."